


Different Worlds

by BrittWritesPokemon



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Alcohol Usage, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Brief Mention of Cocaine, F/M, I'm sorry leon, Marijuana, Mentally and Emotionally Unstable Relationship, Reader is an Ex-Criminal, Reader isn't the Victim, She's the Problem, Suicidal Thoughts, Swearing, Things get progressively better but it takes a while, Unstable relationship, barely any fluff, criminal gang, mentions of assault
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:55:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25295041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrittWritesPokemon/pseuds/BrittWritesPokemon
Summary: You were difficult to love; you made it difficult to love you. Leon knew that you weren't a good person anymore, yet he still clung to you. You used to be so good, his best friend from childhood. What happened? Leon, in a desperate attempt to get the old you back, found himself in an unstable and mentally exhausting relationship with you, an ex-convict fresh out of prison. Although you've abandoned your ways, you made no effort to redeem yourself. You had already tainted your image and ruined your life, so what was the point?
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 35





	Different Worlds

**Author's Note:**

> I'm starting to post again!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this. It was quite the different approach from what I usually do, but I hope I succeeded nonetheless.
> 
> *Also posted on Wattpad as BloodyBritt26*

Leon stepped outside of the bathroom of his suite at the Rose of Rondelands. A towel was wrapped around his waist while droplets from his still-wet hair slowly trailed down his bare back.

As he entered the main room, he couldn't help but sigh contentedly at the peaceful atmosphere. Not a single soul was present but himself. Not even his pokémon were here. They were in the care of the hotel's staff as they always were whenever Leon stayed in Wyndon.

His exhibition match against his long time rival, Raihan, was in three days, and Leon had decided to stay in the bustling city of Wyndon until then. The city was exceptionally lively, and it took Leon's breath away every single time. Plus, every time he saw Wyndon's stadium, he couldn't help but feel proud, proud to be able to call that stadium his.

Of course, the people who lived in Wyndon were just as dynamic as the city itself. Every time Leon stepped foot here, he was greeted with hoards of fans and reporters. Granted, it was normality for him to be approached by adoring fans, he was the champion, after all. However, the residents of Wyndon were rather excessive.

It was rare in itself for Leon to be able to have some time to himself in Wyndon. He could barely purchase a cup of coffee at his favourite café without overhearing people whispering about him.

Leon loved his fans. He loved their support and praise. Leon liked the attention, of course. It always brightened up his day when an aspiring trainer walked away from him, beaming with happiness after having received his autograph.

It was always the little things that stuck out to him the most. Taking pictures with them, signing autographs and chatting with them were moments that he cherished.

But as much as he cherished his fans and the attention he received, moments like these where he was alone, staring down at the city from the highest story in the quaintness of his room, were equally cherished and much-needed.

When he was alone, Leon felt as though he could be himself. He didn't have to be anyone's role model, and he didn't have to bear the weight that his title brought to him. He could be human, not having to be afraid of making a silly mistake that could follow him for years due to being one of the biggest celebrities the region has seen.

Smiling, Leon headed to the bedroom where he could change into clean clothes, humming a little tune which had stuck in his mind as he did so. He slipped white sweatpants and a black t-shirt. It was casual clothing, but it was comfortable, a nice change from his usual champion attire.

He shook his hair, trying to get any excess water out of it. As he did so, his eyes travelled to his phone, charging atop the nightstand. He figured that he might as well check if he had any new messages, though he doubted anything had changed in the last few minutes.

When he turned the device on, his eyes widened in both disbelief and panic. His previously relaxed demeanour had vanished instantly.

"Shit," he muttered as he ran his hand through his hair.

He had eight missed calls from his mother.

He was only gone in the shower for fifteen minutes. What possibly could have happened in the last fifteen minutes? Leon dreaded the answer. Had something urgent happened within his family? Were his grandparents okay? Or was it his baby brother that was in trouble?

The thought of his family being in trouble had his blood running cold. He couldn't fathom anything happening to the people closest to him.

He sat down at the edge of the bed, shakily dialling his mother's phone number. Listening to the ringing on the other end, it felt like an eternity.

But thankfully, it wasn't. His mother picked up in mere seconds.

"Leon? Oh, thank goodness you called. I-"

"Mum! Is everything okay? Did something happen to you? How's the family?" Leon asked frantically, not giving his mother a chance to speak.

"No, no, I'm fine. We're all fine, dear. I promise," she reassured.

He exhaled in relief, not even noticing that he had been holding his breath.

"That's a relief. I thought for sure something bad had happened. It's not like you to call over and over like that," he said with a small smile.

"Yes, but..." she said, trailing off.

Leon's smile disappeared at that. "But? What's wrong? You can tell me," he said softly, worry lacing his tone once again.

Leon heard his mother sigh; it was a very shaky sigh. "Leon, it's- I don't know how to say this," she said, sounding on the verge of tears.

"Hey, it's okay. Take your time," he said, not wanting to push her, even though he was dying to know what had his mother so upset.

There was a pause; she was most likely searching for the right words, which made Leon all the more anxious. What was going on?

"Leon, you... do you remember (Y/N)?" She finally said.

The question caught Leon off guard. He hadn't expected you to be brought up in this conversation. In fact, his family avoided talking about you whenever Leon was there. Although you were a touchy subject, Leon didn't mind hearing your name being mentioned every so often. It was nice. Heartbreaking, but nice.

A small, nostalgic yet sorrowful smile found its way onto his face. Hearing your name had images of your face flashing through his mind, and he couldn't help but recall the good times of his childhood and teenage years. They were times where you stuck by his side. He had so much fun with you back then, the two of you were inseparable. You were his best friend.

"(Y/N)... of course I remember her! How could I not?" He said. "She's- was... my best friend."

He still considered you his best friend, even though he hadn't seen you in so long. He hadn't seen you since you were both seventeen.

That was five years ago.

After that, nobody knew what happened to you. Not even your family. You had just disappeared without saying a word or leaving a note. You had left everything behind, including your clothing, bathroom necessities and electronics.

What happened to you, nobody knew. Not a trace of your person had been found in all of those years. Leon didn't like to think about your fate; whether you'd been kidnapped or murdered, he didn't even want to think about it.

And now, his mother was bringing up your name for the first time in so long. Leon felt chills travelling down his spine. Would today be the day that he would discover what had happened to you? It had to be the reason why his mother had made it a vital point to phone him. 

And quite frankly, Leon wasn't sure that he was ready to hear it, so he mentally prayed that it was not the case.

"I miss her. I miss her so damn much," Leon whispered after a long period of silence.

"I know you do, dear..." she said.

"Why are you calling about her? I don't want to push you; you know that, but I need to know," he said.

She heaved another sigh. "Leon... (Y/N) was on the news today."

His eyes shut tightly as he bit his lip nervously. "What happened to her?" He asked, his voice was barely above a whisper.

"Leon," she started. Her voice trembled with many emotions: sadness, fear and nervousness.

"Mum?"

"(Y/N) was arrested," she finally said.

Leon's eyes shot wide open, and the words rang through his mind over and over. That was not what he had expected.

"A-Arrested? For what? What did she do? She's alive?" Leon blurted, standing up to pace around the bedroom as he ran his free hand through his hair.

"She was part of a criminal group, The Spades. You know them, right?" She asked.

"I do, b-but that can't be right! (Y/N) couldn't- she wouldn't do that, right?" Leon said in absolute disbelief.

"Leon, she confessed her crimes and pleaded guilty," she said. 

Leon said nothing. He was at a complete loss for words. His mother wasn't a liar; he knew that. Yet it seemed so surreal that his best friend that had been missing for five years was found and arrested for committing crimes within one of the most infamous groups of criminals the region had seen.

The Spades, Leon may be dense at times and out of the loop for a lot of things due to his exceedingly busy schedule, but he sure as hell knew of them. Any moron inhabiting Galar knew of the professional criminal group.

By professional, they knew what they were doing. They weren't your average, wannabe robbers who waltzed into banks, guns blazing with no concrete plan. 

No, The Spades were eerily good at what they did. Their plans were always meticulously thought out to the point that they could hit their targets with the utmost discretion. By the time it was noticed by any outdoor contacts that The Spades were hitting, it was already too late. Either they were nearly finished with their heist, or they were already getting away.

They worked in a group of five. Each of the members had a specific role to fulfill during their heists: keeping in check the civilians, hijacking security cameras and systems, rendering any kind of security guard out cold and unable to perform their duties, bagging and loading the loot.

They were physically strong, clearly trained for the things they did. They were smart; they always knew the layout of their targets and their security levels. 

They were beyond careful, never letting any traces behind. Their masks held voice modifiers for extra anonymity.

Killing civilians was not their focus. They were oddly clean, not being the type of group to spill blood, which was the opposite of what one would expect when thinking of criminals. In fact, Leon recalled that there never was any concrete evidence or witness that showed the group murdering civilians.

Still, it didn't mean that they weren't open to roughing up the innocent should it be necessary: dragging them around, smacking them, holding them at gunpoint, gagging them and tying them up to keep them in control were things that they were more than open to doing.

Dangerously good at breaking the law is what they were. Of course, the question of 'what happened' briefly crossed his mind. For a group that never failed their heists, what went wrong? 

But right now, the answer to that question was what Leon least desired. Who could blame him? After five years of disappearance, Leon finally had closure about what became of his best friend that he had missed so dearly. And of all the possibilities, it was one that had never crossed his mind.

You had become a criminal. You had abandoned everyone and everything to run with The Spades.

You were alive, yes, but the outcome wasn't a good one. Leon was torn to pieces, and he didn't know what to think.

"Leon, I'm... I'm so sorry. I wish it were a cruel joke, but it's not," his mother whispered.

"It's..." he stopped himself. No, it wasn't okay. Things were far from being okay.

Leon sucked in his breath. "Is it still on? The news, I mean. I... I need to see this for myself," he said.

"No. That segment is over. They should re-run it tonight. But... it's most likely up on their website if you don't want to wait," she said.

"Okay, yeah. I-I'm going to go. I need some time to myself," Leon said. He just noticed how hard he was fighting tears.

"I understand. Call me if you need to talk. I love you..." she said.

"I love you too..." he said before hanging up.

Leon nearly dropped his phone from how much his hands trembled. Still, he managed to type the news' website, and there, in all of its glory, was the headline regarding your arrest. He clicked on it, and a video launched.

A reporter sitting at her desk at the studio began to talk.

"Breaking news following up yesterday's story about the infamous criminal syndicate, The Spades. As a reminder, the leader of the group, Lucian Clive, was taken into custody after attempting a one-man heist without the help of his usual teammates. In a fit of rage, the mastermind behind the group that has been plaguing Galar for many years now refused to go down alone and named off the other members that also took part in the robberies. He also gave the location to their hideout and how to access it," she said.

A picture of this Lucian had been up on the screen as she spoke about him. A bald man, seemingly in his early thirties. He had dark brown eyes, which seemed somewhat bloodshot. He had the palest, most sickly looking skin Leon had ever seen in his life. A drug addict, most likely.

"Officers made their way into the hideout armed and ready for confrontation, but nobody was home. They did find, however, many disturbing things such as racks upon racks of weaponry, ranging from explosives, pistols, assault rifles, sniper rifles and blunt objects. The hideout was filled with monitors, observing cameras of various locations throughout the Galar region. Stacks of millions of stolen dollars were stored in a vault. A few traces of illegal substances were also found within the hideout," she continued.

Images of the hideout were shown on screen. It was oddly clean, very organized. It didn't seem as though there was a thing out of place, which made the whole thing oddly creepy. Leon couldn't help but think that you may have had something to do with it; you had always liked everything to be laid out perfectly.

It made Leon cringe at the thought of you being associated with the things the woman had just listed. It didn't seem right to him, but it was the reality of it all, one that he wasn't ready to take in.

"As police authorities searched the area, one of the suspected members of The Spades had walked in on them. (Y/N) (L/N) was taken into custody for suspected criminal activities with the group. If the name seems familiar to you, it may be that you were already familiar with the curious case of Miss (L/N), who was reported missing five years ago. She disappeared without a trace, seemingly vanishing from existence. It would seem that, five years later, we have closure on what happened to her," she continued.

Two pictures of you were shown on screen, and that was the final straw for Leon as tears trailed down his cheeks.

The first picture that was shown was definitely you. Though you had (shorter/longer) hair than before, he definitely recognized your facial features. But Leon could barely recognize your eyes. They used to be full of energy, determination and personality, but the picture which he stared at, they looked so apathetic, so out of it.

The second picture of you was shown when the reporter mentioned your disappearance. It was a photo of you before you went away, and it pulled at Leon's heartstrings, not one bit aiding his sorrow. _That_ was the girl he remembered. It was that you that he knew and loved. 

What happened to you? 

The footage switched to a police officer, one of the men who had taken you in. 

"We were shocked. We were there, on the force, when she disappeared all that time ago. But that didn't click right away because when she first walked in, our only thought was to arrest her and take her in for questioning. She didn't even put up a fight, and she didn't bother trying to give us a hard time. She just took it. It's like she had accepted her fate and just... rolled with it, you know? In the car, she kept muttering things about how the group was ruined thanks to that shithead Lucian, so it was pointless to try anything," the cop said.

"And we understand that you have a confession on tape, correct?" The reporter interviewing the cop asked.

He nodded. "Yes, that's correct. She didn't bother asking for a lawyer. She immediately asked for a confession, and then, she pleaded guilty of her accusations," he said.

The screen switched to black, and the glitchy sounds of a recorder could be heard. On display, there were captions for the hearing impaired.

A feminine sigh was heard, though it wasn't a saddened or disappointed sigh. No, it sounded like exasperation and boredom.

"Name's (Y/N) (L/N)... 22-years-old. Grew up in Wedgehurst with my parents. When I was seventeen, I ran off to join The Spades. I confess to havin' participated in a few heists with The Spades, includin' banks, jewelry stores and casinos. Probably some more that I can't be bothered to name. I've played my part in makin' sure that nobody got in our way when we did our business. Yeah... I'll plead guilty for your accusations. Ain't no point in fightin' 'em, so whatever."

Leon ran his hands through his hair, more tears spilling as he heard your voice. It wasn't like before; there was no life in the way you spoke, just absolute boredom. The way you spoke of the things you did, you said them so easily, as if they were the most ordinary things in the world. He couldn't make out an ounce of shame in your tone.

The screen switched back to the first reporter.

"With the accused refusing to go to trial and defend her case, there will be a hearing in the next few days to discuss her sentence. As for the remaining three members of The Spades, search parties will be hard at work to put them behind bars," she said.

Leon clicked off the video, not wanting to hear anymore. He had heard enough. He wiped at his tears, though it was pointless as they kept coming.

The same question as before crossed his mind: why? Why had you become what you became? What happened to you for you to decide to take such a path.

You had always been a troublemaker, sure. And kind of reckless, now that he thought about it. Leon was usually the one to try and set your boundaries for any sort of crazy stunt you had in mind.

Were there signs that you would evolve into a criminal that he had missed entirely? Leon thought the world of you, and he had always put you on the highest of pedestals. He was such a lovesick idiot when it came to you. Maybe that love blinded him on some apparent signs.

Leon didn't even know what he wanted right now. He didn't know if he should just forget about you right there and move on. Honestly, he doubted that he could.

He was, however, sure that he wanted to have a talk with you for the first time in years. He wanted answers, an explanation for everything. He felt like he deserved to know why and how _that_ happened.

But he knew that it would be a long time before he got those answers.

~~~~~~

"As such, I have come to the decision that you, Miss (L/N), will be sentenced to seven years of imprisonment for your crimes associated with the robberies of the criminal organization known as The Spades," the judge spoke, sealing your fate.

You could hear whispers around you, saying that seven years was much too short, that you should have been sentenced for so much more. You should be punished further and not let off the hook as much despite your good conduct and cooperation.

And you should have.

Although you kept a straight face, lazily staring up at the judge with boredom radiating from your entire being, you were smirking internally.

Seven years wasn't much time to spend behind bars, especially since the general sentence for high-harm and professionally planned heists in Galar was fifteen years of imprisonment.

It seemed as though Allen, your contact for all things involving information about the police and different gigs, had come through for you.

Corruption was everywhere in the world, even amongst the judicial system. Not even the most respected judges could say no to hundreds of thousands of dollars being waved in their faces as a bargaining chip. It had been a smart idea to keep money aside in an offshore account maintained by Allen for circumstances such as these.

As such, your sentence was much shorter than it should have been. Granted, seven years was nothing to sneeze at, but it was better than fifteen, so you tipped your hat to Allen for managing something. 

To be able to pull strings the way he did, Allen was powerful. Perhaps he was the most powerful member of The Spades. You've never seen the man in person, nobody in your group had. He's never been on actual heists with your group, preferring to aid you in your work anonymously. Hell, you weren't even sure if Allen was his real name. But no matter, he was the real deal.

Your mind briefly wandered to Lucian, that fucking little shithead. You wondered if Allen had done the same for him, getting him out of a nearly lifelong sentence as he'd done for you. 

Probably not. Allen was perhaps just as pissed at Lucian as you were. Had the 'leader' of the group not had his head so far up his ass as he did, thinking he could pull off a heist on his own without letting anyone know, you most likely wouldn't be in this situation.

And the bitch had the nerves to call you and your other 'brothers' out, putting all of you in jeopardy, effectively signing the end of The Spades.

You thought that it was pointless to fight your arrest for that very reason. That was it; it was the end of the line. You lost the game. You blamed Lucian, you all did. But you had to be real with yourself: it was going to happen sooner or later. It was rare that crime prevailed for eternity.

But in the years of sheer power you felt you had over society, that thought didn't cross your mind. You didn't care at the time. You felt unstoppable, like nothing could ever go wrong, and you had all the say in what would happen.

It was time to wake up, and what a wake up call it was.

You supposed that now was as good a time to reflect on your life choices, the piss-poor decisions you had made. There were so many things you could have done with your life, but your greed for big blood money and the desire for power over others had taken over the darker portion of your soul.

Seven years behind bars, stripped of the precious freedom you took for granted, was the least of your concerns because you knew that it was too late for you. You were ruined; your image was forever tainted. Everyone in Galar knew of your face, one that belonged to an organization that haunted the region's history for many years. Things would never go back to the way they were before.

You had accepted that.

As your sentence was given, officers took hold of you, lifting you from your seat and making sure to keep your hands fastened behind your back. There were four officers around you, escorting you out of Wyndon's justice hall so you could be shipped off to the penitentiary on the outskirts of the region.

As the doors opened, you had to squint your eyes as the afternoon sun harshly hit your face. Camera flashes were all around you. Desperate reporters threw frantic questions left and right in hopes of saving their dying, uninteresting papers. Civilians pointed at you, muttering incoherent bullshit, which you didn't bother paying attention to. 

So annoying. You had to fight back the urge to spit at the bystanders. Well, you supposed that you couldn't blame them, you were, after all, Galar's biggest fucking circus freak at the moment.

You kept your head down as you were guided to the police cruiser, but your eyes darted in all directions, analyzing the crowd. For a split second, you saw someone amongst the crowd that you were sure you recognized, and it made your heart stop.

It felt like time had slowed when you shot your head in the direction of the person with wide eyes, and it was who you thought it was. There was no mistaking those bright, yellow eyes and purple-coloured locks.

Leon was there, amongst the people, but he was silent, frozen on the spot. The look in his eyes, you weren't sure if you imagined things, but you were sure that you saw a hint of despair within the betrayal they held.

Your eyes met, and you saw him flinch, mouth gaping ever so slightly as he realized that you knew who he was, that you actually remembered him. 

Or perhaps, it was the look you were giving him that had caught him off guard. You had caught yourself off guard. Your eyes were watering, something that felt so foreign to you with how long it's been.

And that feeling... what was it? Shame? Regret? Guilt? All three of them, possibly? These feelings, you thought that you would never experience them again, but that was during your rush of power, where you believed you were above everything.

Seeing him again, for the first time in five years, hit you. It hit you so hard that in mere seconds, you swore you saw your whole life flash before your eyes.

Your whole life, because you had to be honest with yourself, your life had ended the moment you shook hands with Lucian and stepped down the rotten path.

"Clear away, everyone," one of the officers keeping you under control called out in an attempt to shoo the people away from the cruiser.

As you were seated in the car, you heard a civilian say something about Leon, "Champion Leon, you and (L/N) were looking right at each other for a little while. Did you know her?" They asked.

You weren't able to stick around long enough to know of Leon's response as the door closed, and the car drove off, heading to your new living quarters for the next seven years.

Memories kept flashing. They were all good memories.

You and Leon would always be anxious for the weekends to roll by so that you could have sleepovers together. You would light up candles and build forts out of pillows and blankets, playing battle with pokémon cards while trying to stay as quiet as possible as not to wake up your parents.

You always teased each other, and you often made it a competition on who could 'roast' the other the most in a single day. You often won those silly contests.

You were inseparable, the ultimate duo that always stuck together during classes in trainer school. No other team could match up to the bond the two of you had.

Yeah, all good memories, and you could have kept making good memories had you not been an absolute fool.

Now that you had seen Leon, you noticed just how much you missed him. You always had, but you had been so emotionally stunted for so long that you had not noticed until this very moment.

But it was too late. It was worthless to even think about fixing things. Why try? It really was pointless. Leon now knew what a fuck-up you were, and there was no going back.

You smiled; it was a bitter one. This was your end.

You fucked up.

Meanwhile, Leon stared at the retreating police cruiser, at a complete loss for words. The interaction between the two of you was minimal, only having lasted a few seconds. Yet, it was so meaningful, and it had offered Leon a whole new perspective on everything.

Or maybe it was just him being extremely naive, clinging onto that desperate thought that somewhere, beneath the crimes, the real you was still there.

"Champion?" A young man asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. It was the same guy that had asked that first question.

Leon didn't know if he wanted to tell the truth, but he answered to the best of his abilities without letting much be known.

"No, I don't know her as much as anyone else. But..." he said, taking a deep breath as he closed his eyes, "... I do know this: she's a lost soul in need of guidance and rehabilitation. She's gone down a wrong path, but something tells me that she's confused about this, about everything."

It was the look that flashed in your eyes when your gazes had met, how your expression had exploded in emotions when your demeanour had been full of apathy. It was the look of surprise and the way that your eyes had glossed over that captivated him. 

He held on to the thought that you were fixable, that you could and would get better. No, things would never be the same, the damage was done, but he was willing to fight for you, to aid and guide you on a brighter path.

It was naive of him, he was almost certain of it, but he couldn't help it. Leon still couldn't see you as anything but the wonderful person he once knew.

Of course, Leon would have to wait seven long and torturous years before doing anything.

In a way, however, he needed those seven years to prepare himself for the arduous journey that would be helping you get back on the right track.

~~~~~~

Leon wasn't so sure whether those seven years had passed rapidly or slowly.

In a way, things had gone well for him. He maintained his title as champion, getting stronger and stronger as each day went by. He still had the love and support from Galar in its entirety. 

The days that went by the fastest were those where Leon spent his time training and investing himself in his fans, family and sponsors. He even got to endorse his little brother and his friend, Victor, authorizing them to partake in the gym challenge.

Although neither of the boys had defeated him, Leon was beyond proud of them. After all, Leon had nearly gotten beaten by Victor. It was a close call. These days, Hop was studying to be a professor, and Victor had turned the Rose Tower into the Battle Tower after Rose's fall.

Despite all of the good things going on in his life, that didn't mean that your face didn't pop into his mind every now and then. He was sure that after some time had passed, you would be history to him. It wasn't the case.

He thought about you more than he cared to admit. It was to the point where it haunted him. Sometimes, you popped into his dreams. Other times, the thought of you kept him up throughout the nights. 

The moments where he thought of you felt like an extension to the long seven years. It made him feel like minutes had become hours; everything was slow-moving.

He supposed that it was difficult to forget about such a life-changing event, one where his dear friend was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment for professionally executed robberies.

He noticed just how anxious he was to get into contact with you -real contact- when only one year remained to your sentence. He had started counting the days remaining before your release.

And when it happened, he didn't know what to do. Leon felt like an idiot for that as he had seven years to prepare for the day where you would find freedom once more. He was so sure that he was, but all that mental preparation had faded in a split-second. It was, most likely, to be expected.

And so, three months had passed. It was three months of pacing back and forth, trying to form the hundreds of scrambled questions Leon had for you. He wanted answers, he wanted them since the day of your arrest, but Leon wasn't sure how to obtain them.

When he thought he had built up the courage to approach you, he set out to find you, and he did.

There, hunched over a small campfire in a somewhat secluded area of the Wild Area, is where you were located. A large Drapion slept at a short distance from you; it was most likely yours. It was late at night, and nobody was around. That was in his favour as Leon wasn't sure if he wanted to be seen in broad daylight with you. 

He stared at you from a small distance. Once again, his mind was racing, and his feet felt like they were nailed to the ground. He couldn't find it in him to take a step forward. He stayed like that for about ten minutes, watching you from afar.

His thoughts swirled. Leon was furious and disappointed with you. How could you have done that? How could you have abandoned him and everyone else to live a life of crime? Leon needed answers, or else he felt as though he would go mad.

Those thoughts were what pushed him to get his bearings and finally head your way. After all, he had been waiting for this moment for seven long years, perhaps even more if he counted the five where you weren't present.

When he was at your side, he didn't have time to speak a word; you had beaten him to the chase.

"Finally. Was gettin' real tired of your starin' and shit. Either you grow a pair and talk, or you leave me the fuck alone," you said, keeping your gaze on the fire.

Leon completely ignored you. His fists were clenched at his sides, and his knuckles were turning pale from the pressure. His expression was serious, though his eyes glimmered, possibly threatening to spill tears.

"(Y/N). We have to- no, we _need_ to talk," he said.

Your eyes lazily shifted over to his side before going back to the fire. "Ain't nothin' to talk about, Leon."

Hearing you say his name pulled at his heartstrings, nearly making him drop his anger towards you.

"You... remember me?" He asked, not being able to help himself.

You turned your head towards him again, raising an eyebrow questioningly. "Yeah? 'Course I do."

He nodded, though you didn't see it as you turned your attention back to your fire. You seemed to find it very interesting.

Leon cleared his throat, his anger slowly subsiding and being replaced with sorrow. "It's... it's been a while."

You shrugged. "I s'pose seven years is kinda long."

Leon blinked in confusion. "(Y/N)... it's been twelve years since we've spoken," he said.

"We saw each other when I was bein' escorted outta the courthouse, remember?" You said.

He felt the urge to growl. You weren't taking him seriously, and the small smirk that he caught a glimpse of proved it.

"We saw each other for a few seconds at best, and we didn't exchange a word. That doesn't exactly count, you know?" He said in a slightly harsher tone than before.

You shrugged again, still not looking at him. Instead, you reached for your bag, which laid next to you, to rummage through it.

Leon sighed. He supposed that it was no use to try and engage in small talk with you.

"What happened, (Y/N)?" He asked, going straight to the point.

You ignored his question, though you did pause in your actions for a little bit. There it was, the question you dreaded being asked.

"(Y/N). What happened?" He asked again, nearly growling.

You set your bag down and straightened your back a bit, clicking your tongue in annoyance. "Ran off, joined The Spades, robbed shit and spent a few years in jail."

Leon ran his hand through his hair, sighing. "That's not what I meant."

"I know. I just don't feel like answerin'," you said.

"Damn it, (Y/N)!" Leon exclaimed.

You shot your head in his direction, narrowing your eyes. "What? What do you want from me? What do you want me to say? I'm sorry?" You snapped.

"Yeah, that would be a decent start," Leon snapped back.

"What the hell would that change? What's done is done, and there ain't no turnin' the clock," you said.

Leon pressed his lips together, not knowing what to say. He opened up his mouth to speak, but no words would come out. In a sense, he knew that you were right, but Leon was fishing for a sentiment of remorse within you. 

"That's what I thought. Now, leave me the fuck alone. Get outta here before some asshole sees you with me," you said, turning back to your fire.

You hoped that Leon would go away. You weren't ready to face him, and you didn't think you'd ever be prepared to do such a thing. You missed him, yes, but the fact remained that you felt as though you would never be able to connect with him in the same way you had before. 

Too many things had changed. The two of you had changed. There was a time where you were once equals, but now, you were society's scum, and Leon was society's treasure. You were too different on so many levels.

And those feelings of shame came back. They came back every time Leon's face popped into your mind, even when you were caged. You sometimes saw the betrayal his eyes held on that day whenever you drifted off. You were the cause of it, and it made you feel guilty, ashamed and disgusted with yourself. 

Once upon a time, Leon was one of the most important parts of your life, and you forever shattered the image he had of you the day your arrest was broadcasted to the region.

Times had changed, and they would never go back to the way they were, which is why you hoped to shoo Leon away from you. You wanted to give him the chance to run away, run away from someone who could ruin his image, who wasn't fully ready to make a difference.

It was pointless to try, you thought. But it seemed as though Leon wasn't backing down, and it irked you to no end.

Leon still wasn't speaking, but he wasn't leaving either. You turned your head to him, giving him the most indifferent look you could muster.

"Still here? Just go," you said.

He shook his head. "You have no idea how much I missed you," he started, making you sigh.

"I thought something awful happened to you, that you got kidnapped and killed," he said, not able to stop himself from pouring out his feelings.

"Bit dramatic..." you mumbled.

"But no! I found out that you're alive, but I also found out that you joined a criminal organization!" He continued.

"My best friend, a criminal. (Y/N), you have to understand how I felt, how I _still_ feel. I don't- I just... I still can't wrap my head around the idea. I can't believe you would do such a thing, yet the proof is there, and it's been there for so long," he rambled.

You found yourself listening to his every word, even if you didn't really want to hear it. You already had an idea of the negative impact you caused on the people that used to be in your life. You didn't care to hear it; you really didn't.

"I should be angry with you, and I _am_ , but I can't get you out of my head. I just... I just want everything to go back to normal," he finished. His voice shook with every word.

"That's not gon' happen. Don't kid yourself," you said flatly.

"If you tried, things could be better. (Y/N), I'm begging you. I want to give you the benefit of the doubt that you can, well, get better. You know? Get reinserted into society and live a normal life," Leon said with an undertone of desperation.

You audibly scoffed at the idea of reinsertion. As if anyone would spare you a second chance. It was a waste of time to even try. Everything felt so pointless.

"I could... I could help you. Please, Troublemaker," He offered, using a very familiar nickname.

You chuckled. "Heh. Haven't heard that nickname in a while."

Leon smiled softly as find memories of the old and good times flashed through his mind. "Yeah... I used to call you that all the time since you were always pulling fast ones on everyone."

You nodded. Your lips were threatening to curve into a smile, but you stopped yourself, pressing them in a flat line.

"Yeah. I remember that. Think I used to call you Dense Bonehead, yeah?"

"Yeah... that's right," Leon said.

"I can see you're still one dense fucker," you said, making Leon blink in confusion.

"I mean, offerin' your help when I don't need anythin', and thinkin' that society will just take me back if you just ask politely. Nice fantasy you got there," you said.

Leon sighed. "With that attitude, of course no one will want you near them, and-"

"So, what're you still doin' here?" You asked, cutting him off.

"I'm offering you a chance," Leon said, though his tone was neutral, he was feeling beyond frustrated.

"Don't want it, don't need it. Waste of my time and yours," you said.

Leon groaned. You were being extremely stubborn and unapproachable, and he hated it. You had someone giving you a chance at redemption right in front of you, and you weren't giving a single shit.

"Waste of your time? What could be more worth your time?" He asked.

"Battlin'? Gotta find a way to get money for food, yeah? I can usually find a few bitches to pummel with my big boy, Drapion. I got a few today. Not many, but enough for the night," you said.

Leon scrunched his nose at the strong smell of the pungent root you pulled out of your bag. You poked it with a stick and held it over the fire for a few seconds to toast it.

"What... are you eating?" Leon asked. 

He knew what you were eating, of course, but he's never seen someone eat a root by itself over putting it in curry as a topping. Wouldn't you have bought better food items with your prize money?

"I dunno. Plucked it near a river. Looks like shit, smells like shit, and it probably tastes like shit too," you said, inspecting the rancid smelling food item.

"Wouldn't you rather buy something better?" Leon asked.

"Don't have enough cash," you said after a short pause.

Leon blinked. Did you just lie? "But, you said you made enough money for tonight."

You paused again, mentally cursing yourself out. "I didn't," you lazily retorted.

"You did, and-" he paused, cutting himself off. "(Y/N)... did the ingredients seller refuse to sell to you?" He asked.

You said nothing.

"Well?" Leon pushed.

"Like I said, I ain't exactly a welcomed presence," you said.

"Come to my place. I've got a new place on the outskirts of Wyndon. I can fix you up some dinner," he said before he could stop himself.

You looked at him quizzically, though you quickly shifted back into your indifferent expression.

Leon looked up, noticing how the night sky was getting covered with thick, gray clouds.

"And it's going to rain soon," he added.

"So?" You said.

"What do you mean? What do you want me to do? Let you rot?" He asked.

You shrugged. "Pretty much."

"Why?!" Leon asked, surprise was etched all over his features; he couldn't believe how closed-off you were.

"Don't feel like it. Take your damned pity elsewhere," you said.

"I'm not pitying you!" It was a lie. "I'm just offering you my kindness and a chance. (Y/N), please just take my offer," Leon pleaded.

"Cute," you mocked. 

After a short period of uncomfortable silence, you spoke again. "If I follow you, it's a one-time deal, got that?" You sighed with heavy defeat lacing your voice.

"Right," Leon sighed.

The two of you had the same thought running through your minds: what were you doing?

You could barely believe that you agreed. You didn't want Leon back in your life; you weren't ready for it. You wanted him to leave you alone, yet you let him persuade you so easily—what a joke. You certainly had become weak over the years. Not that you cared; it just felt so pointless.

As for Leon, you were giving off all sorts of red flags that you weren't stable, friendly or willing to make a difference. Inviting you back into his life and his home was not a good idea, and Leon knew it. Yet, he still wanted to hold out his hand to you and offer you the help that you desperately needed even if you were in denial about it. He was hoping, praying, that you could someday revert to the woman he knew and loved if he pushed you in the right direction. 

But he had to be realistic; it wouldn't be that simple. First and foremost, you had to want to change for the better before he could do anything, and judging from the interactions he just had with you, you weren't willing to bother. It almost seemed as if you had no more passion, no more will to even try to live life at its fullest.

But Leon was so desperate to get the old you back that he'd damn well try, even if it destroyed him.

~~~~~~

Leon called his Charizard back to his pokéball, thanking him for flying him back home after a long day of training with his rival, Raihan.

He yawned as he made his way to his front door. It just dawned to him just how long he was out, it was already night, and he left in the early morning. It had been a long day, and he was definitely tired and looking forward to relaxing.

He rummaged through his pockets to find his house key, and when he inserted it in the keyhole, his brows furrowed in confusion. His door was already unlocked, but he was sure that he had locked it before leaving. 

He stepped into his home nonetheless, not thinking much of it as he wouldn't be surprised if he had forgotten to lock the door in the morning. 

Once inside, he made sure to lock the door behind him. He stepped out of his shoes and flung his heavy cape onto the coat rack.

Upon stepping into his living room, Leon nearly had a heart attack.

You were there, in his home, completely uninvited. You were flopped onto his couch with your feet resting on the coffee table. You were twirling something in your hand, though he couldn't quite see what it was from his angle.

A one-time deal was what you said on that day. That was seven months ago, and ever since your first visit, you had the habit of dropping by and staying for short periods whenever you did so.

Leon wasn't sure what to think of it. In a sense, he was a bit relieved that you dropped by. It gave him the opportunity to try and work towards your reinsertion, and it also meant that he could keep you close to him and out of trouble.

But in another sense, it was a less than ideal situation. You were difficult. You were difficult to appreciate and love, that's what you made yourself to be, and it was destroying Leon day by day. Yet, he still kept you around. 

He figured that you had to want to be with him at least a little bit. If you didn't, you wouldn't drop in as often as you did. And so, he figured that, in some sort of twisted way, it meant that he was making slight progress with you even though it was at the cost of his well-being.

"Hey," you said, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"I- how did you get in here?" Leon asked.

"You need a better lock," you shrugged.

Leon felt the urge to facepalm. "(Y/N), did you seriously break-in? Leon asked.

You smirked, though it barely lasted a second. "I'm just sayin' that you need a better lock."

"You can't just break into people's homes like that, even if it's 'just me,'" Leon said.

"Relax. Nobody saw me doin' it," you said.

Leon shook his head, groaning. "That's not the point. What are you even doing here in the first place?"

"Needed a place to stay. Got kicked outta the shitty motel I was stayin' at," you explained.

Leon internally cringed at that, fearing that you got into a fight or did something terrible to deserve being thrown out.

"What did you do to get kicked out?" He asked cautiously.

You sent him a glare, not liking how he immediately assumed the worst. "Just didn't have enough cash for another night. Haven't been able to find anyone willin' to battle me lately."

Leon nodded, feeling a little guilty of assuming that you were up to no good, but who could blame him, really?

You leaned forward, grabbing what seemed to be a lighter from the coffee table. Leon's eyes widened as he noticed what the item that you were twirling earlier was when you put it to your lips.

"Is that a blunt?!" He exclaimed.

You looked at him, looking absolutely exasperated. "Yeah?"

"Where did you even get that?" He asked.

"I know a guy who knows a guy," you said.

Leon groaned at your answer. It was your go-to answer for when you didn't feel like explaining how you got your hands on something.

"Never mind that. Could you not smoke weed in my house? Or anywhere?" He said.

"Would you rather me goin' back to cocaine?" You snapped.

"I'd rather you not doing any kind of drugs!" He snapped back.

"For fuck's sake, Leon, it's just grass!" 

"(Y/N), please put the blunt down!" Leon nearly yelled though you could make out the pleading in his tone.

You rolled your eyes before heaving a sigh and complying with his request, putting down your joint. 

Leon sighed, regaining his composure. "Thank you, (Y/N). I'll dispose of it later, okay?"

"Yeah, fine," you said, not caring much. You reached for the TV remote to distract yourself.

Leon sat down next to you, kissing your forehead in thanks, even though he knew that you weren't thrilled with the outcome.

You turned your gaze towards him and slightly tilted your head. "What are you doing?"

Leon blinked, looking at you quizzically. "Am I not allowed to kiss my girlfriend?"

You nodded to yourself, turning your head back to the television before chuckling slightly. "Right. Girlfriend. Is that what you call this little shit fling we've got going on? Boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Leon sighed, he despised when you acted so pessimistic towards your relationship. Granted, this wasn't the kind of romantic relationship Leon thought he'd ever have in his life; he still harboured feelings towards you.

It was against his better judgement. He spent so much time with you, trying to figure you out and work with you that he fell for you, even though he knew that it was unhealthy.

Leon wanted to convince himself that he loved you for you, but what did you have to love? Not much, if he were frank. You weren't a good person; he knew that. You were driving him to near insanity. There were times where you slipped up a bit and showed him another side of you, a side that heavily reminded him of the person you were before. Whenever it happened, he clung to hope that you could get better. Perhaps, it was that hope that made him vulnerable to fall.

But, if there was one thing in which you were right: there wasn't much romance in the relationship, it was mostly Leon clinging to you. But Leon wouldn't admit to agreeing with that thought. He wanted to remain positive about what the future had in store.

"Not this again, (Y/N)," Leon softly pleaded.

"I'm just bein' realistic, Leon. We're barely even datin', and we yell at each other all the fuckin' time. Great relationship there," you scoffed.

"We _are_ dating, (Y/N). I asked you. I asked you out, and you said yes," Leon said.

"Was probably drunk," you said, avoiding his gaze.

"You were _very_ sober that day. It was probably the soberest I've ever seen you be," Leon said.

You said nothing, fully aware that you agreed to date Leon of your own will, utterly sober, though you felt stupid for letting your feelings get the best of you. 

For both of your sakes, you shouldn't have said yes to dating the man, and you shouldn't have started dropping in on him as often as you did.

You just wanted to be left alone to rot with your own problems, but you weren't helping yourself in achieving your goals. You subconsciously sought out Leon's help as he was the only person you knew who was stupid enough to let you near. 

His kindness pissed you off. Why couldn't he be like everyone else and look at you with hatred? It would be so much easier for you. His kindness was giving you a reason to keep going, even though you wanted nothing more but to give up. He was making you weak, and you hated it.

If he were to wake up and realize that you were no good for him, good, it was what you wanted, but you were too pathetic to cut ties yourself. 

"Besides... couples get into fights sometimes. It's normal," Leon said with a smile, though you both knew that it was fake.

There was nothing rational or stable about your so-called relationship, but you found yourself nodding anyways. Whether it was for his sake or to get him to drop it, you weren't sure.

"Right. I'm s-" you cut yourself off, not wanting to give him a reason to stay. "Whatever, I guess," you corrected yourself.

Leon nodded. He pretended to have missed what you were about to say, but he didn't. It was apparent that you were about to apologize. Such a small detail, but it was one that made his hope for you skyrocket. 

Leon hesitantly slung his arm around your shoulders, and although you didn't respond by cuddling up to him as most would do, you at the very least did not flinch away.

~~~~~~

All you wanted was a change of scenery.

You were so used to hanging out in secluded parts of the Wild Area, entirely out of sight from everyone. You were undisturbed, and you liked it.

Other times, you hung out at some shitty alleyway bar where all of the rejects and low-lives of society such as yourself swarmed. At least, you weren't entirely out of place when you went there.

But as lovely as that was, you were getting excessively bored of the same old places and routine. You wanted to do something different for a day. If you were to die soon, boredom wasn't the way you wanted to go.

You didn't have a phone, so you didn't exactly have a distraction. The wild pokémon were excessively weak, not even worth your Drapion's time and energy, so no battling distractions. 

You now had Leon's house key to avoid any more break-ins on your part, but Leon's place was pretty empty since he was out most of the time. There was not much to do besides watch TV.

You mentally scoffed at the stupidity Leon had displayed by entrusting you with a key to his home. You were a criminal, although one who has abandoned her old ways, you couldn't understand why the hell he put so much trust in you. It was stupid.

And so, that was how you came to the decision to take a stroll in the streets of Wyndon to ease your torturous boredom. Granted, it was broad daylight, and you were used to quickly sneaking around the city at nighttime to reach Leon's house. 

It was a stupid idea to hang around Wyndon during the daytime.

People knew who you were; everyone knew who you were by this point. You were rather infamous. You were stupid for thinking that you could have peace in a busy city; you should have stayed in the wilderness or go and get drunk again.

You weren't bothering anyone. You minded your own business, yet other pedestrians still did double-takes when passing you. Others crossed the street as not to have to walk on the same sidewalk as you.

You had expected reactions of the sort, but it was still a mild annoyance. Sure, you were thrash, you accepted that. But people were rather dramatic; it wasn't like you were walking around with a gun. People were acting like you would strangle them on sight.

You sat down at the large fountain, you were still rather bored, but at least the scenery was different, you supposed. 

You had briefly thought about going to the salon and boutique, but that thought had quickly disappeared. There were two problems: you probably wouldn't be very welcomed, and you most likely didn't even have enough money to get the simplest lipstick on.

"Is that the girl who got out of jail not too long ago?"

"Yeah, I think it's her. (L/N), I think."

You heard two women whispering about you from a very small distance. Their eyes were glued to you; you could feel them. People talking about you, thinking you couldn't hear them while pointing at you as if you were a caged zoo pokémon, were things that set you off.

You shot your gaze up, glaring at the duo of women. "The fuck you lookin' at, you cunts?" You snarled.

As soon as you snapped, the women flinched and turned their backs to you, going back to whatever pitiful conversation they were having with one another.

You exhaled, trying to get a grip on things as not to get any more unwanted attention. After a while, you decided to get off the fountain and make your way to another location.

You had passed a park area, and it seemed like quite a few couples were hanging out there. You briefly thought of you and Leon, but you shook your head. It was a stupid thought. You and Leon weren't really a couple.

You soon made your way to the location of the Wyndon Stadium. You were pretty sure that's where Leon was at the moment, signing autographs and other trivial bullshit you didn't care about.

What interested you, however, was the little booths right outside. It seemed like there was a small flea market going on. Leon had mentioned something about the stadium's entrance being a hotspot for people to set up booths to sell their old things and merchandise.

Low-cost items for a jobless bum on a budget like you? How nice. You figured you might as well give it a whirl and check out what they had.

The two vendors that interested you the most were the clothing vendor and the book vendor. You were getting tired of wearing the same two outfits, and they were starting to get very worn out. Plus, you figured out that a nice, interesting book could keep you company on days like today where you were utterly bored.

Unfortunately for you, quite a few people were shopping around, but you really wanted to get some stuff for yourself, so you'd have to suck it up. However, you did notice that the others were so into their shopping that they didn't take notice of your presence yet, you were thankful for that.

At the clothes seller, you cleared your throat to get his attention. He turned to you with a big smile, though that smile soon faded as he noticed who you were, paling in the slightest.

"Do you have anythin' in (size)?" You asked.

"No, sorry," he quickly answered.

You shrugged. "Alright, then."

Disappointing, but whatever. You turned over to the book vendor. You picked up a book that had a catchy title, turning it over to read the summary. As you were doing that, you felt the seller's eyes on you, not letting you out of her sight.

"They're not free. You'll have to pay for it if you want it," she said.

You narrowed your eyes as you were reading the summary, exhaling as to calm yourself.

You slowly lifted your gaze to the woman; you had an unreadable yet eerie expression. "I know that _ma'am_ ," you said, though there was clear spite in the way you spoke.

The woman said nothing else, so you went back to analyzing the books she had for sale.

"Hey there! Do you have anything in (size)?" Someone asked.

"Yes, I do! Let me show you," a second, very familiar voice responded.

You set the book down and whirled around, frustration building up as you noticed that it was the same clothing vendor. The asshole had lied to you as a way to get you out of his sight due to fear.

You had done your best to be polite to these people, and they still didn't give you service. You were so damn done.

"Thought you said you didn't have anythin' in (size)," you said.

The man froze, chuckling nervously. "Oh, did you say (size)? I must've misunderstood," he said.

You glared at him. "You understood me real good. You just didn't want to deal with me, huh?"

He said nothing.

"That's what I thought," you said, chuckling. "The fuck have I done to you?" You snapped.

People who were shopping started to stare at you, which only added to your frustration.

"Nothin'! I did nothin' to you! How fuckin' ridiculous is this? Can't even buy some asshole's used t-shirt without someone thinkin' I've got some malicious plan in mind," you yelled.

At that moment, Leon stepped out of the stadium with a smile on his face, though he soon became confused at the sound of someone screaming.

Plus, as soon as he stepped out, a young man immediately ran to him, begging him for help.

"Champion! Please go down there and help!" He begged.

"Wha-? What's going on? What's the commotion about?" Leon asked, concerned.

"It's the former prisoner girl, she's furious, and it's honestly terrifying," the guy said.

Leon's eyes widened in realization. "Shit," he said as he raced down the stairs to go to the market area.

The bystanders' whispering and staring were really getting to you, causing you to harshly glare in their direction, adding on to the tense atmosphere and nervousness of the others.

"What the _fuck_ are you lookin' at? Yeah, no need to fuckin' say it. I know who I am. Hey, look, it's (Y/N) motherfuckin' (L/N), the ex-bitch of The Spades who's fresh outta the cage. Let's all stare and point at the freak," you screamed.

"I outta fuckin' strangle you all with my bare hands and-"

"Hey! What's going on over here?" A voice cut you off.

The voice made you freeze; there was no mistaking that it belonged to Leon, and sure enough, it was him. When you turned, you saw Leon pushing through the crowd. He looked angry.

He stood in front of you, towering over you. You were so shocked that you couldn't speak. This was the first time Leon had ever approached you in public.

"Wha-"

Leon cut you off. "Listen real good, you leave these people alone, got that?"

"I-"

"Go. Step down while you have the chance. If you don't, I'll have no choice but to take action," he said.

You blinked, looking around you and noticing the terrified and anxious looks on people's faces at the showdown between the two of you.

Leon looked around, as well. "Go to my house; I'll meet you there. We'll finish there," he ever so softly whispered under his breath so that only you could hear.

Your eyes narrowed, you understood perfectly. He approached you for the first time in front of others, but he wasn't admitting to knowing you personally. He didn't want to tarnish his image, and he didn't want to risk it by openly showing that he knew you.

You clicked your tongue, but you nodded nonetheless, abruptly turning on your heels to storm off in the direction of Leon's home without a word.

As you distanced yourself, you could hear people applauding and cheering for Leon for getting a handle on the situation.

~~~~~~

You paced back and forth in Leon's house; anger was still coursing through your veins to the point where you felt sick. It took every ounce of your minimal amount of self-control not to send your fist flying at the drywall.

There were so many things angering you at the moment, too many things. On top of that, you could only stand there and wait for the inevitable lecture that was to come your way. You were not sure if you'd be able to hold yourself back with how livid you were.

Soon enough, you heard the doorknob rattle. It sure didn't take long for Leon to join you, five minutes, at best.

Leon stomped into the house, slamming the door shut in a way you've never seen. He must've been pretty furious himself. 

He definitely was. As you whirled around to face him, you could see just how utterly serious he was. He was breathing rather heavily, either from rage or breathlessness due to hurrying up to meet up with you. Maybe it was both, but the fact remained that he was visibly displeased with your public behaviour.

The two of you stared at each other, not exchanging a word. Leon was searching for the appropriate words to express himself, while you waited for him to speak as you really didn't care enough to start this conversation.

"Can you explain what the _hell_ that was?" He exclaimed, extending his arm towards the front door for added emphasis.

"People piss me the fuck off, Leon. I can't even buy a shirt without bein' looked down upon as a lesser bein'. Shit's gettin' real old!" You snapped.

"Have you ever stopped and wondered _why_ people don't treat you as an equal?!" He said.

"I know why, don't you _dare_ treat me like I'm stupid. I-"

"It's not just because you were in prison! (Y/N), wake up! People don't want anything to do with you because you have an awful, aggressive attitude. You're not inviting in both the way you act and speak. Even your facial expressions scare people off!" Leon cut you off.

"What the _fuck_? You're automatically puttin' the blame on me? I was civil with these people, and they still treated me like a low-class piece o' shit. What's the point in tryin' if it ain't gon' work?" You yelled.

Leon ran his hand through his hair, nearly pulling it out. "That. That right there is your problem. You turn to anger and violence as soon as things don't go your way. You don't even try another, better route."

"It's pointless to try, Leon, don't you get it? Arceus, you're so fuckin' stupid. I'll always be the bitch who got caged for runnin' with The Spades, ain't nobody gonna ever see anythin' else in me," you said.

"No, you're the one who doesn't get it, (Y/N). You're making it impossible to see anything else in you with the way you portray yourself. Gosh, it's no wonder nobody wants to treat you as an equal, you should have seen yourself back there!" He retorted.

"Who cares?!" You shouted.

" _I_ do. I care, and I'm just trying to look out for you and help you! Can't you see that?" He said.

"Oh my Arceus. It's none of your business what goes on with me," you said.

"Damn it! It's because I love you and worry about you!" He screamed.

At that, you went silent. Leon went silent as well, noticing how you had paused in your pacing, straightening your back to look at him with the most neutral expression he's ever seen. It sent chills down his spine to the point where he took a step back.

He had spent enough time with you to know when you were beyond seething with anger, and it was one of those moments. It was a sort of eerie silent rage on your part.

And it was. 

He loved you. That's what he said—what a load of utter bullshit. Trying to convince you that he loved you was an insult, and you felt mocked. It pissed you off.

"You don't love me," you said in an oddly calm voice.

Leon was taken aback by your sudden statement. "Wha-? (Y/N), not this again. You know that I-"

You raised your hand, prompting him to shut up, which he immediately did. "I'll rephrase that. You don't love the _present_ me. You're in love with the _past_ me, the me you knew years ago before everything went to shit," you said.

Leon's eyes widened at your statement, completely speechless.

"It's fine. It's to be expected. But don't take me for a fool and try to make me believe that you actually love me, it ain't gon' work," you continued.

"(Y/N), that's not true..." Leon said softly, even though you were partially right.

You smirked slightly. "Oh, it is." You took a few steps towards him. "You're so naive. It's kinda charmin', I s'pose. But you need to wake up from your lil' fairytale, Leon."

You chuckled. "This ain't no cheesy romance novel where the good person falls deeply in love with the bad 'misunderstood' person. You know the type: the good person's love and kindness magically change the bad person for the better in the blink of an eye."

You walked passed Leon, heading for the front door, but you paused in your steps, looking over your shoulder.

"Besides, if you really loved me, you wouldn't be ashamed of bein' affiliated with me," you said.

Leon turned to face you, eyes wide in disbelief. "Wha-?"

"You pretend not to know me in public. And don't think that I haven't noticed your interviews. You're so eager to talk about everyone in your family and your friends. Even lil' acquaintances get mentioned by you, but when it comes to your love life, you're suddenly single," you said flatly.

After another period of silence, you turned the doorknob and spoke one last time.

"I'm goin' to the bar. Don't wait up for me, and don't you dare try and drag me out before I've fully calmed down," you said before heading out the door.

You left Leon in the complete silence of his home, replaying your words over and over again in his mind, trying to make sense of the complicated situation he's found himself in.

What a mess.

~~~~~~

The same night, you stumbled back into Leon's house. It was rather late at night, one in the morning, to be exact. You tried your best to be quiet as you figured Leon would be asleep, and you didn't want to wake him up.

You exhaled sharply as your head pounded while you hugged the wall for extra support. You had a little too much to drink, and you were feeling slightly tipsy.

Still hugging the wall, you made your way to the kitchen. You wanted to make yourself a cup of black coffee to help you sober up a little before bed. It was also because you didn't feel like risking Leon seeing you drunk; you weren't in the mood for another fight.

You filled up the electric kettle with water to boil it. As it boiled, you grabbed a mug from a cabinet and filled it with a packet of ground coffee. You held onto the counter for stability as you waited.

You sighed as you heard footsteps coming from the entrance of the kitchen. You peeked over your shoulder and saw Leon leaning against the frame. His arms were crossed, but his facial features were somewhat soft, it was as if he felt awkward.

It seemed as though he had been in bed. He was only wearing some loose sweatpants, and his hair was slightly dishevelled. However, he seemed wide awake, as if he had just been lying in bed instead of sleeping.

"Hey..." he greeted softly. 

You responded by raising your hand to wave as you turned your attention back to the kitchen counter.

"You're drunk again? You really need to get a hold on that habit; it's bad for you," he lightly scolded.

"I know," you replied, not having the energy to argue.

After a small, tense moment of silence, Leon spoke again. "Listen, (Y/N), I'm-"

"You're a good man, Leon," you said out of the blue.

Leon blinked, not expecting such a thing out of you. He decided to stay silent and not interrupt you to let you speak your mind. 

You had the habit of truthfully speaking about your feelings when intoxicated. Leon had caught on that this was one of the core reasons why you didn't want him to see you drunk. 

"I got nothin' against you, and I don't hate you or anythin' like that," you continued. "You haven't changed a bit since we were young, and I kinda like that. It's charmin' an' all."

It was the first time you openly complimented him, and it was taking him aback.

You turned to face him, still holding onto the counter. "I've got anger issues because I'm so fuckin' bitter about how much I fucked up..." you chuckled "... man, things could have been so good for me."

"And then there's you. Always bein' positive and supportive and keepin' me around even if I treat you like shit. It's about the stupidest thing. Like, I want you to get the fuck away from me 'cause were from two different worlds that just don't go together, and it'd be for the best. But at the same time, Arceus knows how much I need you to stay. I don't even know anymore, my head hurts," you rambled, slurring your words every now and again.

Leon took some steps towards you frowning slightly. He's never seen you so vulnerable. And with everything you were saying, Leon realized just how conflicted and confused you were.

"(Y/N)... can I ask you something?" He asked.

"Hm?"

"What happened to you?" He asked, sighing.

You paused, avoiding his gaze. "Ran off, joined The Spades, ro-"

Leon cut you off, shaking his head. "You know that's not what I'm looking for. Did... did your parents do something to you that, you know, pushed you in the wrong direction?" He asked.

You narrowed your eyes at him. "My parents were wonderful people. They treated me good, and they never let me down. Not once."

You shook your head, chuckling. "Nah... I'm the one who betrayed them and hurt them. Leon, ain't nobody that 'pushed' me to do what I did," you said.

"We may have only been five on the field, but we had eyes everywhere. Eyes that were scoutin' for possible new members, and I was one of 'em. I ain't sayin' anymore than that, but I'm gonna say that I joined of my own free will," you said.

"But why?"

You shrugged. "Loads of money was on the table. We had millions, Leon. Filthy rich is what we were. And the power, fuckin' hell, the power was great. Felt like I was above everything, and holdin' people at gunpoint while they cowered and begged for their lives, I loved that rush."

"Was it worth it?" Leon asked.

You laughed. "Was it worth it? Leon, look at me! Look at me, and tell me if it was worth it."

"Fuck... it felt good back then. Didn't even think anythin' would ever go wrong. But now.... I'm a mess with nothin' left," you said.

At least you were aware. You were aware that you had problems, but Leon wished for you to be able to accept his help. He wanted nothing more than for you to let your walls crumble to give yourself a chance.

"(Y/N), I'm happy that you're opening up to me, thank you," he said, stepping closer to you. "Yes, you're a mess, but you're not helping yourself. It's like you want to be hated."

"There just ain't no point in wastin' my energy in trying to change for the better. No one will care," you said.

Leon, now in front of you, put his hands on your shoulders. "Yes, there is a point. Have you considered looking for a job? That would be a decent start."

You scoffed. "Who would want to hire me? My record ain't clean. Far from it."

"But, have you ever tried to ask around?"

"No..."

"Well, there! You told me that you were civil with the vendors before they turned you down, right?" He asked.

You nodded.

"So, do that again, and I'm sure that someone out there will be like me and want to give you a chance," he said.

You said nothing, but you nodded weakly. Just the simple action made you feel like your head was going to explode.

Leon kissed your forehead and let go of your shoulders. "Sober up a bit, and think about what I said, okay? Come to bed with me after."

~~~~~~

It was a rather lazy Sunday afternoon. One where Leon was alone in his home as you were currently out. Where you were at the moment, Leon had no idea. You didn't say where you were going, but he guessed that you were either in the Wild Area or at your favourite bar. If it was the latter option, he prayed that you wouldn't come home too drunk.

Leon couldn't help but worry every time you went outdoors. He was always anxious that you'd get yourself in trouble in some way, shape or form. You really needed to get your own phone sooner or later so that he'd be able to check in on you.

It's been two weeks since the two of you had that big fight, and Leon had noticed just how oddly quiet you've been, not being as snarky or aggressive as usual. In a way, it was a good thing, but at the same time, there was something off about you. You were less of a hassle, yes, but you seemed so lifeless, even more so than usual.

As a plus, Leon felt as though you were avoiding him. He noticed that you've been going out more often than before, and whenever you were at his home, you seemed to avoid being in the same room as him or looking him in the eyes.

Leon wondered if he had done anything to make you upset at him, but he couldn't think of anything that could have set you off in the last two weeks. Besides, it was a ridiculous thought on Leon's part as he knew that he'd done nothing but be kind to you despite how much of a headache you were.

You were such an enigma that he couldn't figure out. You seemed to be in a constant state of conflict where you were shifting between two different beings: the aggressive, uncaring and spiteful woman, and the lost, confused and remorseful woman.

Leon shook his head; he supposed that he should preoccupy himself with other things for the moment as he didn't feel like thinking too hard on the subject. 

Looking around his home, he noticed just how dirty the floor was. He had not really had any spare time to get any cleaning done, though he supposed that now would as good of a time to whip out the vacuum.

And he did just that, making sure to hit every spot thoroughly. It wasn't exactly how he wanted to spend his weekend off, but it had to be done eventually, and it was probably better than sitting around and overthinking things.

When he got to his bedroom and passed the vacuum underneath his bed, he paused in his tracks when he hit an object which quite felt on the heavy side.

Leon turned off the vacuum so that he could take a peek underneath the bed to remove the object that was in his way, but when he got a good look at it, his heart nearly stopped.

He was staring at a handgun.

He shakily reached for the dangerous object before inspecting it with wide eyes. To Leon, having such an object in his hands felt wrong, terrifying, even.

His mind raced as many questions surfaced. Why was there a gun underneath the bed? How did it get there? Why was it there? There was no need to question its owner; it was obviously yours. 

Leon was, quite honestly, terrified of the situation. How long have you even had this for, and how did you manage to procure yourself an illegal weapon?

Though the most terrifying questions remained: why did you have a gun, and what did you plan on doing with it?

Leon immediately thought that you had gone back to your old ways and were planning on doing something terrible to someone with it. What else could he possibly believe that a former criminal would do with a gun?

Your latest, strange behaviour would have been explained if it were the case: how you seemed so dull and out of it. Perhaps, you were out more often because you were looking for a perfect target?

Oh, Arceus, he hoped that it wasn't the case. Leon prayed for it not to be the case, but the odds were looking to be against him.

He didn't have a choice; he would have to sit you down and get you to spit out everything, no matter what it took. Because this, this was unacceptable!

Leon was beyond anxious as the hours went by. He couldn't find it himself to distract himself with anything. He had even ignored text messages from Raihan, inviting him to go battle. Leon was not in the right mind to do anything; all he wanted to do was sit down and wait for your arrival.

The pistol rested atop the coffee table, and Leon couldn't keep it out of sight. He kept his gaze fixated on the object as if it would suddenly start doing things on its own. He's never been so close to a gun, and it was unnerving, even if nobody was holding it.

Finally, at seven o clock at night, you walked through the front door, still looking out of it.

Leon immediately grabbed the gun, hiding it behind him as he wordlessly walked to you.

"(Y/N), we've got to-" he started, though you cut him off.

"Get off my back, Leon. Yeah, I was at the bar, but I ain't drunk. Had a few to drink, but didn't go over the line," you said, sounding exasperated.

It seemed genuine enough. You weren't tumbling around, and you weren't slurring. Leon almost felt like praising the improvement of your bad drinking habits, but he hadn't forgotten about the real problem at hand.

"That has nothing to do with anything, (Y/N). We've got to talk about this," he said, holding out the pistol to you.

He made sure to hold it by the barrel so that you didn't think that he was pointing the gun at you. The last thing Leon wanted to do in this situation was set you off.

"Oh..." you merely said.

You reached out to grab your gun, though Leon pulled it away, not trusting a weapon in your hands at the moment.

"Can you explain why I found a gun under my bed?" He asked in a frantic tone.

You shrugged. "Was just there until I could find a better spot for it."

"(Y/N), where did you even get this?" He asked.

"I know a guy who-"

"You know what? Never mind, I don't even care right now. _Why_ do you have one?" He said, cutting you off.

You didn't answer. You tried to walk passed him, avoiding his gaze, but Leon was having none of it. He put his free hand on your shoulder to stop you in your tracks, whirling you around so you could face him.

"Oh, no, no, no. You're not getting away with this conversation. Tell me the truth... were you planning on using that on someone?" He said, feeling his eyes tearing up.

You sighed. "Yeah."

Leon's entire world shattered at that one word. All of the time he spent with you, working with you to fix you was all for nothing. He suffered so much for _nothing_. You just confessed to wanting to shoot someone. Leon knew, even if you had a special place in his heart, he'd have to turn you into the police. He couldn't just let this slide, and he-

"On myself."

Leon froze, his grip on you loosened. "What?"

"I wanted to shoot myself sometime soon. That's the truth," you said.

"(Y/N)... I- why would you want that?" He asked, features softening up.

"I'm tired. So fuckin' tired. I barely feel alive, Leon. I've got no more will to do anythin' or even live at this point,' you said.

You paused a bit before continuing. "I figured I could just shoot myself to end it all, to be at peace an' all, but..."

"But...?" Leon pressed.

You chuckled. "I'm too much of a coward to off myself. Yeah, go ahead and laugh. The bitch who loved to hold people at gunpoint is too pathetic to hold it at herself."

"I'm not laughing, (Y/N)," Leon muttered, shaking his head.

You backed away from Leon in the slightest, shaking your head. "I had this other thought, where I figured that I could kill off someone and get arrested again. You know, maybe get a life sentence and rot away in jail for the rest of my life, or I could get lucky and get sentenced to death."

You crossed your arms, lowering your head to avoid Leon's piercing gaze. "But then, your dumb face pops into my mind, and I can't help but think that... that I don't want to disappoint you. Not anymore. I'm done. I _can't_ hurt you anymore."

Leon stared at you in disbelief. Leon's very rarely seen this side of you while you were completely sober. Although you were confessing to having suicidal thoughts, Leon was happy that you were opening up to him. For the first time in forever, you were being human.

"I... I need help, Leon," you admitted.

Those three words made Leon nearly jump on the spot. Your defensive walls and aggressive facade were finally crumbling.

"Is it too late to ask for help? I... wouldn't blame you if it were. It probably doesn't mean much, but I'm... so sorry. For everything," you said in a shaky voice.

Leon smiled softly as he stepped towards you. He lifted your chin, noticing that tears were slowly streaming down your face.

"Thank you for apologizing. Now, to truly prove that you mean it, you have to show me that you're willing to make a difference and put effort into it, " he said.

You nodded.

"Good. In that case, it's not too late for you," Leon said.

It had been so long since you smiled. Though it was slightly crooked and small, it was genuine.

"Do you have any tips on findin' a job?" You asked, almost shyly.

Leon grinned. "Plenty."

~~~~~~

Leon was asleep while you were still wide awake. Ever since you've started to mellow out a bit, you've been thinking more and more about other people that used to be in your life. Every time they crossed your mind, massive waves of sadness, guilt, regret and shame hit you.

You thought more and more about the negative impact your wrongdoings had on many different people. Even though you've never taken any lives, you sure had ruined some.

But the ruined lives that haunted you the most were your parents.

They treated you correctly, and they loved you, yet you abandoned them for so many years without a single word. Then, much like Leon had, they most likely had learned about your arrest on TV.

Now, more than ever, you could imagine what kind of pain your parents had gone through because of you.

And you loved them, you always had, so it amplified just how destroyed it made you feel to know that you dragged your family through the mud as you had.

You turned over to Leon, making sure that he was definitely asleep before getting out of bed and grabbing his phone from the nightstand. You really needed to get your own sometime soon.

When you had Leon's phone in hand, you sat down on the edge of your side of the bed, staring at the keypad for what felt like an eternity.

In the end, you mustered up the courage to dial your mother's phone number, and you almost couldn't believe that you remembered it after so many years.

You shakily put the phone up to your ear, anxiously listening to the ringing on the other end. It was three in the morning, so you weren't so surprised to land on your mother's answering machine, though you were relieved that she had kept the same number.

"You have reached (mother)'s number. I am not available at the moment but leave a message for me, and I'd be more than happy to get back to you in the briefest of delays. Thank you!"

You felt your blood run cold as you heard the beep. You had not completely prepared what you wanted to say, though you supposed that you should just pour your heart out to the best of your abilities.

You got up and exited the room to talk. You exhaled nervously. "Hey. It's... ah, it's me, (Y/N). Listen, I ain't gon- going to. I'm not going to sit here and make up excuses for the things I've done."

"And chances are, you've already hung up by the time you heard my name. But in the slightest chance that you're still listening to this, I just had to call. I can't stay in the dark much longer," you continued.

"No amount of apologies will fix what I've put you through, but I'll still try. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for betraying you and disappearing for such a lowly reason."

"I hope you never blamed yourselves for what happened because the only person to blame was myself. You did nothing but love me and raise me in the best environment, but I still made a fool of myself."

"I was a selfish idiot, and I can't even imagine the pain I've probably put you through. I'm also sorry about dirtying the family name; you shouldn't have to bear the embarrassment of sharing blood with a person like me."

"I... I don't have my own phone. I'm calling from a..." you paused, debating what you should refer to Leon as "... my partner's phone. But I wanted to let you know that I'm getting better. I've been getting better as days go by."

"I'm looking for a job right now. I haven't had much luck, but I'm not giving up. Not anymore."

"I'm much more civil, at least, I think. That's what my partner says. He's had the patience of a saint to deal with me the way he has. And if it weren't for him, I don't think I'd be alive or doing okay."

You sighed. "I'll stop talking. I know it's probably useless because you've probably deleted the message by now, but just in case, I wanted to let you know that I love you. I always have, and I always will. I love you, even if you, rightfully, don't love me and have chosen to disown me," you finished.

You hung up the phone, finishing your voice message once and for all. You sat down at the kitchen table, running your hands through your hair.

It felt good to get everything off of your chest. Even though the chances of your parents forgiving you were close to none, you were happy that you gathered up the courage to reach out.

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Leon had a soft yet proud smile on his face. He wasn't sleeping; he had woken up the moment you reached for his phone, being a light sleeper and all.

He heard every one of your words, and he definitely heard the sincerity behind them. The emotion your voice held when you spoke, it was unlike anything he's ever heard from you.

It was moments like these, where your progress was excessively visible, that he was happy that he braved through all of the hardships of your behavioural problems to help you become a better person who stood a chance in life.

~~~~~~

You stepped into your usual bar, feeling completely exhausted from your continued job hunting. 

It's been quite a while since you've stepped foot in here, you've been so busy trying your hardest in finding an employer who'd be willing to give you a chance despite your lousy record.

It's been difficult, to say the least. Most people looked at you wearily, though you learned not to let that get to you. You had learned to prove to people that you weren't looking for trouble rather than responding aggressively.

And it worked, for the most part. A lot of people seemed to ease up in your presence when they saw how much more chill you acted.

It didn't mean, however, that finding a job was easy. You didn't have a clean record, and you didn't have much experience in many departments, so it didn't help your case.

You sat down at the bar which the owner, Ivan, was behind as he wiped it with a cloth. It seemed as though there weren't many people today, which was to be expected as you were dropping in earlier than the rush hours.

Ivan was a tan man in his late thirties. He was rather tall, but not overly buff. His dark brown hair was rather long, but it was always tied in a messy bun. He had an easygoing nature, and you could never really make out any kind of disturbance in his bright blue eyes. He always welcomed you to his bar with open arms, even when you first got out of jail. He never even mentioned your past; he just treated you like an ordinary person.

As you sat down, Ivan dropped his cloth and sent you a small smile before heading your way.

"Hey. Welcome back, (Y/N). What can I get you?" He asked.

"Can I get some Vod- er... what's the lightest thing you've got?" You said.

Ivan raised a brow, though he didn't question anything further. "Would a Palm Bay do the trick for you?"

You nodded. "Yeah, sure, that works."

Ivan nodded, turning his back for a few seconds to retrieve a Palm Bay beer for you, pouring it into a clean glass.

"Here you are," he said.

"Thanks," you said. "Can I also get the bill with that? And your phone number too? For referral reasons, you know," you added.

Ivan chuckled. "Got a sir at home who's not a big fan of drinking?"

"I... guess you could say that," you said, scratching the back of your head as you avoided his gaze.

Your behaviour was quite amusing to Ivan as he laughed again. "No need to try to hide. We've all got that special someone in our lives, even ruffians like us."

"I suppose," you said with a small smile as you took a sip of the fruity beer. The taste was different from what you were used to, but it wasn't unpleasant.

"I haven't seen you here for a while. I almost thought you abandoned us," Ivan said as he turned around to clean some more glasses.

"Us?" You asked.

He paused in his cleaning momentarily to look at you. "It's not just me who likes you. The other staff like you too. Dan and Noah are always happy when you're here," he explained.

You blinked. "Really now?"

He nodded. "Of course they are."

You looked behind you, spotting the two waiters in question, talking to each other not too far from you. They looked like they were on a break. When they noticed your gaze, they waved at you with friendly smiles.

"They feel a bit safer when you're here," he said.

"That's a new one," you said a bit sarcastically.

"I'm serious. Some of our customers are a bit on the intimidating side and don't mind giving others a hard time, but when you're around, it's like your mere presence keeps them at bay. You've got a certain aura around you, and it makes the staff feel a bit safer," he explained.

"Huh. I've never noticed," you muttered.

"Not that it's any of my business, but where have you been all this time? I hope you weren't cheating on my bar with another one," he teased.

You chuckled. "This bar's my one and only. But seriously, I've been out looking for a job."

Ivan nodded in approval. "A job, huh? How's that been going? Any luck?"

You groaned, making him chuckle a bit.

"I get it. It's not always easy..." he paused, seemingly thinking about something "... but you can stop searching for one right about now."

You looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm saying that I'm offering you to work for me, right here," he said with a small smile.

"Are... are you serious?" You asked with wide eyes.

He nodded. "Very. Listen, you're like family at this point, and I can see that you're trying hard. You look great today. Seems like you've been taking better care of yourself, and even your speech is cleaner than it was."

You couldn't believe what you were hearing. Somebody other than Leon was confirming that you were starting to get better. You never knew just how much you needed to hear that. It was such a relief to know that you were making progress, which is what you promised yourself and Leon.

Hearing such things was such an encouragement, and it was giving you a will to keep going forth.

And now, you were being offered a job. Albeit not the classiest job in the world, it was something, and it was a start. All of that perseverance finally paid off.

"And like I said, we feel safe with you around. Plus, an extra set of hands won't be of refusal, especially during those rush hours. So, what do you say? How about we start cleaning that record of yours tomorrow night at eight?" He asked.

"I'd... I'd love to. Thank you, thank you so much!" You said with the biggest, most genuine smile on your face.

"Good. Now, why don't you go home and give your man the good news?"

~~~~~~

As you headed home, you were still in disbelief at what had happened. 

You had only gone to the bar to relax a little due to the fatigue your constant endeavours brought you, so you certainly did not expect to be offered employment.

You couldn't help but think about Leon, and even though you didn't entirely want to admit it, you hoped that he would be proud of you. 

He was the man who stuck by your side no matter what, and you found that you were seeking out his approval and praise. It took you a while to appreciate everything that he's done for you, but now, you couldn't be more grateful for his support.

You finally felt like you had a goal, like you could get back on the right foot if you put your mind to it. You were human once again, something you haven't felt in so long.

You thought about your childhood, the personality you had back then. You never backed down from a challenge, and you always faced every hurdle that was thrown at you with determination. You found that you were starting to feel like you felt back when you were younger, and it was nice to feel like something other than an empty shell.

As you entered Leon's house, you called out to him. "Leon? Are you here?"

"In the kitchen!" He called out.

You went to the kitchen, and as soon as you crossed the frame, Leon excitedly stood up from his seat with a big smile.

"(Y/N), I've got some great news for you!" He said.

"Ah, really? Me too," you said with a bit of confusion lacing your tone. It was both because of Leon's statement and because you were still in shock about what happened.

Leon tilted his head. He certainly wasn't expecting you to come home with good news. It was a first, but he was definitely eager to hear what you had to say.

"Really now? What's going on with you?" He said, wanting you to speak first.

"I... I got a job," you said, the words still felt so foreign to you.

Leon's eyes widened. "You did? Where?!"

You nodded. "The bar that I always go to. Ivan asked me to work for him, and he wants me to start tomorrow..." you paused, scratching the back of your head nervously "... I-I know that it's not the classiest job in Galar, but-"

Leon cut you off as he gave you a big, tight hug. "You have no idea how proud I am of you, (Y/N). You did it! You're doing so well now, and I'm just so happy for you!"

You chuckled before smiling. Leon's happiness was contagious, pure, even.

"Thank you... I'm happy too. You said you had something to tell me too, yeah?" You asked.

"Right. Guess who called?" Leon said.

You shrugged.

"Your parents," he revealed, making your eyes widen.

"My... parents?" You repeated.

He nodded. "They're inviting you for dinner tonight! They want to give you a chance at redemption."

You stayed silent for a few seconds, feeling tears well up in your eyes. You lightly pushed Leon away so that you could wipe at them before they fell.

"You're not kidding, right?" You asked in a hopeful tone.

"I wouldn't kid around with that," he said.

"Are you, you know, coming too? I... I don't think I can do this alone," you muttered, feeling a little embarrassed.

Leon winked at you. "Don't worry; I got an invitation too."

You smiled, and Leon loved seeing it. It was such a pure and genuine smile. You had come a long way. Yes, there was still more room for improvement, you had a lot more to do to achieve a good image, but none could deny just how great you've been doing lately.

He patted your shoulder. "Why don't you change into something nice?" Leon prompted, making you nod in approval.

"Hey, (Y/N)," Leon called out, making you pause in your steps.

You looked at him, tilting your head in curiosity.

"I think... I think that I'm starting to fall for the present you," he said with a soft smile.

You reciprocated his smile and nodded as a small laugh escaped your lips.

Perhaps, things were going to be just fine.

**Author's Note:**

> Like what I do and want to show me a little extra love? You can always support me on Ko-fi, which is, of course, 100% optional: https://ko-fi.com/bloodybritt26


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